Safe baby hearth pad

ABSTRACT

A Safe Baby Hearth Pad includes an elongated panel of fabric, doubled, with corners of outer perimeter joined together by means used for closure forming a casing like apparatus for containing a pad like filler. A means for separation is used within body of said casing creating a joint characteristic. Said joint is strategically placed as to separate said casing into a plurality of smaller casings. Said joint allows a pivot action when placed between said casings contained within said hearth pad, sufficiently distributing protection for a fireplace hearth. First casing is placed on the flat protruding top, said joint separates and pivots said hearth pad to next casing which covers outer most edge. If protection is desired for the vertical outer most front of a hearth surface, a joint is added providing separation and a pivot action, allowing additional casing to drop downward. Said hearth pad has a tailored fit to flow with the angles, which make up the surface of a protruding fireplace hearth, without the assistance from a system used for attachment. Attractive, extra seating is automatic when said hearth pad is in use. When not in use, said hearth pad folds up for easy storage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

U.S. Patent Documents 2,867,015 1959 Meissner 4,787366 1988 Bell4,867,135 1989 Stecker 4,865,015 1989 Hasty 4,922,891 1990 King4,903,686 1990 Jennings 5,058,566 1991 Dabbs 5,183,030 1993 Woodward  347,888 1994 Jackson 5,508,078 1996 Stalnker

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention is directly related to providing protection from therough surface of a fireplace hearth.

2. Description of Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,078. Protection is provided for the outer most edgeand corners of a fireplace hearth. This invention fails to provideprotection from the flat protruding top and vertical outer most front ofa hearth surface.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,566. This invention covers the outer edging of afireplace hearth. The top and front surface of a hearth are exposedleaving risk and danger for infants.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,686 is a likeness to U.S. Pat. No. 505,856 listedabove. This invention simply covers the outer most edging of a fireplacehearth.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,366. This invention provides protection for thevertical outer most front of a hearth but does not provide protectionfor the protruding, flat, top surface. It is not made for easyattachment or removal.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,030. A comforter that covers the fireplace hearthtop and can over lap the edge. There is no apparent fit or attachmentfor securing said comforter to the surface of a fireplace hearth.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,318. A hearth seat and cushion for the flat,protruding, top surface of a fireplace hearth. This invention does notprovide protection for the hearth vertical, outer most front surface.

Many inventions developed to provide protection from the surface of afireplace hearth have systems for attachment. Once removed, someinventions can not be reattached. They are complicated and leave most ofa hearth exposed.

SUMMARY

There are many times that the rigid, abrasive surface of a fireplacehearth is the cause of accidents. Babies and small children are at highrisk when crawling, pulling up, walking, or running around a heartharea. Children are prone to knocking out teeth, hitting their head,mouth, knees, and the like, from contact with the rough and abrasivesurface. Scratches and cuts are all but guaranteed when children and ahearth are in the same area. The Safe Baby Hearth Pad provides theprotection needed to minimize the dangers accompanied with a fireplacehearth. A joint characteristic is used to separate said pad into aplurality of casings. Said joint allows a pivot action whereby, a flowof protection is formed form the protruding top, to the outer most edge,and if desired, to drop in front of the vertical outermost front surfaceof a hearth. All sections of the rough surface are substantially coveredand cushioned.

Safe Baby Hearth Pad is placed on and removed from a hearth surface withease. Said hearth pad folds together for convenient, easy storage whennot in use. Said pad is practical and economical to manufacture. Extra,cushioned, seating that is attractive for any raised fireplace hearth isprovided when said hearth pad is in use. Further objects and advantageswill become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuingdescription.

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

FIG. 1. Shows a flat view. A plurality of casings, which make up saidhearth pad includes a casing that covers the flat protruding top 20, acasing that covers the outer most edge 22, and a casing that covers thevertical outer most front 24, of a fireplace hearth. Also shown arejoints 32.

FIG. 2. Shows front view of said hearth pad on a fireplace hearth. Shownis the substantial coverage provided to the length of a hearth, Shown isthe top 20, outer most edge 22, and vertical outermost front 24, casingsthat make up said hearth pad. Shown is pivot from joints 32.

FIG. 3. Shows side view of said hearth pad on protruding portion of afireplace hearth. The tailored fit and flexibility of said hearth pad isapparent. Shown are top 20, outer most edge 22, and vertical outer mostfront 24, casings as each section of the hearth surface is sufficientlycovered. Shown is a second means 30 used for closure on side perimeter.Said means joins elongated perimeter and side perimeter of said hearthpad. A joint 32 is a third means used for separation. Said joint 32allows a pivot action within said hearth pad between each casing.

FIG. 4. Shows cross-section view of said hearth pad. Top 20, outer mostedge 22, and vertical outer most front 24 casings. Shown is a pad likefiller 26 used for cushion, in each casing. First means 28 used forclosure on elongated perimeter. A joint 32 is a third means and verticalouter most front 24, casings as each section of the hearth surface issufficiently covered. A joint 32 is a third means used for separation.

A DETAILED DISCRIPTION

A Safe Baby Hearth Pad is made from an elongated panel of fabric.Desired coverage of the flat protruding top 20, front outermost edge 22,and if desired, vertical outer most front 24, of a fireplace hearthdetermine amount of said fabric used. Double said fabric whereby, a foldis created. Said fold is first means 28, used for closure on elongatedperimeter of said fabric. A second means 30 is used for closure on sideperimeter of said fabric. Said means 30 perimeter joins with said firstmeans 28 perimeter, thereby enclosing perimeter of said fabric. A secondmeans 30 is used for closure on side perimeter of said fabric. Saidmeans 30 perimeter joins with said first means 28 perimeter, therebyenclosing one corner. A predetermined amount of a pad like filler 26 isplaced inside said closed corner. Said filler 26 extends the length ofsaid fabric, providing a cushion for the flat protruding top one corner.A predetermined amount of a pad like filler 26 is placed inside saidclosed corner. Said filler 26 extends the length of said fabric,providing a cushion for the flat protruding top 20 surface of afireplace hearth. Desired length and width of flat protruding top to beprovided protection and desired thickness of said hearth pad determinessize and amount of said filler 26 to be used. A third means is a joint32, used for separation on open elongated side of said fabric.Strategically placed within said fabric, said joint 32 creates a casinglike apparatus whereby; said filler 26 used to provide cushion for top20 is enveloped. Placement of said means is determined by the width ofprotruding top surface desired to cover. Predetermined amount of saidfiller 26 used for cushioning the front outermost edge 22 of a fireplacehearth is placed inside said fabric against said joint 32 previouslyused for separation. A joint 32 is used for closure on open elongatedside of said filler 26, used to cushion outer most edge 22 creating asecond casing within body of said fabric. Said joint 32 provides a pivotaction between said casings. Said joint 32 is the secret for a tailoredfit to the angles that make up the surface of a fireplace hearth. Ifprotection from the vertical, outer most front 24 of a fireplace hearthis desired said filler 26 is placed inside open elongated perimeter ofsaid fabric against said joint 32 used for closure of second casing.Amount of filler 26 used for cushioning vertical outer most front 24 ispredetermined by width of coverage desired for vertical outer most fronthearth surface. Forth means 34 used for closure on open elongatedperimeter of said fabric, enveloping said filler 26 added for cushioningouter most front 24. A fifth means 36 used for closure on open sideperimeter of said fabric, securely seals said pad filler 26 containedwithin independent casings. Said hearth pad lays on flat protruding top20, pivots to the next casing which covers the outer most edge 22, saidpad pivots at next joint to drop next casing downward covering verticalouter most front 24 of the fireplace hearth. More than one panel offabric can be used to comprise the Safe Baby Hearth Pad. When using morethan one panel of fabric, said fold 28 is replaced with a differentmeans for closure on elongated perimeter. Said means can be of a sewnseam, Velcro, zipper, or the like, to join and close the outer perimeterof said fabric. Said fabric can be of upholstery, drapery, cotton,polyester, flame-retardant material, and the like. Said pad filler 26can be of desired thickness. Materials used for said pad filler 26 canbe batting, foam padding, feathers, beans, flame-retardant filler andthe like. Said casings, created within one body by said joint 32, can becomprised separately, as individual casings. Said casings can be joinedtogether by means used for attachment. Means used to join individualcasings automatically creates said joint 32 allowing said casings tohave the pivot in between for the snug fit to the rough surface. Saidjoint 32 can be a sewn seam, Velcro, zipper, snaps, buttons, and thelike. A plurality of means may be used to comprise said hearth pad orthe same means may be used, example: a stitched seam, as in drawingsprovided. Individual casings can be comprised for providing extracoverage for left and right sides of a fireplace hearth. Additionalcasings are joined to said top 20 and, or said front 24 by means usedfor attachment, creating said joint 32, providing separation and a pivotto said casings for substantial coverage. Additional casings can becomprised of one or more panels of fabric as in descriptions above.

Numbers for Drawings:

-   20 Top casing-   22 Outer most edge casing-   24 Front casing-   26 Pad filler-   28 First means used for closure-   30 Second means used for closure-   32 Joint-   34 Forth means used for closure-   36 Fifth means used for closure

1. A Safe Baby Hearth Pad wherein a joint characteristic provides aplurality of casings within one body for cushioning the flat protrudingtop, outer most edge, and if desired the vertical outer most front of afireplace hearth comprising; a) an elongated panel of fabric, doubledwith outer most elongated and side perimeter sealed by a first andsecond means used for closure forming a casing like apparatus; b) a padlike filler enveloped by said casing; c) a means used for separationcreating a joint characteristic whereby; d) a plurality of casings arecontained within one body sealed by a forth and fifth means used forclosure.
 2. A Safe Baby Hearth Pad as defined in claim 1 wherein anpanel of fabric is of upholstery material whereby; a first means usedfor closure on elongated perimeter is a fold.
 3. A Safe Baby Hearth Padas defined in claim 1 wherein a second means used for closure on sideperimeter is a sewn seam joining perimeters which have a common pointenclosing one corner.
 4. A Safe Baby Hearth Pad as defined in claim 1wherein a pad filler enveloped by said casing is one-inch thick foampadding.
 5. A Safe Baby Hearth Pad as defined in claim 1 wherein a meansused for separation is a sewn seam the length of said hearth pad wherebya joint characteristic is created to separate one body into a pluralityof independent casings.
 6. A joint characteristic as defined in claim 5wherein said joint is placed between casing for flat top and front outermost edge whereby; a pivot allows coverage to fit snug to the angles ofthe protruding fireplace hearth surface.
 7. A joint characteristic asdefined in claim 5 wherein said joint is placed between casings forfront outermost edge and vertical outermost front whereby; a pivotallows coverage to drop downward providing protection from the verticalsurface of the fireplace hearth.
 8. A Safe Baby Hearth Pad as defined inclaim 1 wherein a plurality of casings contained within one body are ofsufficient length and width to distribute a cushioned protectionwhereby; a casing covers the flat protruding top said joint pivots to asecond casing which covers the outer most edge, and if coverage for thevertical outer most front is desired, said joint pivots to a thirdcasing by said joint which drops downward providing desired coverage. 9.A Safe Baby Hearth Pad as defined in claim 1 wherein a forth means usedfor closure on an elongated perimeter of said fabric, is a sewn seam.10. A Safe Baby Hearth Pad as defined in claim 1 wherein a fifth meansused for closure on remaining open side perimeter of said fabric is asewn seam used for sealing independent casings contained within saidhearth pad.